“Xinyi.” I shook my head, standing. “You aren’t supposed to be up here.”
The human servant stepped further into my room, hands on her hips. “You think I could let them hide my best friend away from me?” She put her fists up in front of her with what I assumed was supposed to be a fierce snarl. “They’ll have to fight me first.”
“I should have known they couldn’t keep you away.” Laughing at her display, I stopped next to my dresser and pretended to survey what was left in the box.
“Damn straight.” She flicked her nose, sniffing and pointing it in the air. “Let’s see them try.”
I laughed again, staring down into the box but not really seeing its contents. I didn’t bother trying to fill the silence between us, Xinyi had a way of doing that all on her own. She’d tell me sooner or later why she came.
Just as I knew she would, Xinyi stood at my side, peering around my arm. “So... how’s it going?’
I forced myself not to stiffen at her question, answering nonchalantly. “Fine. Good. So much happier to not have to share a room anymore. Definitely don’t miss sharing a bathroom.” I mocked a grimace in regard to the other students’ messes and lack of general respect for others in a shared space.
Xinyi just stared at me. “That’s an awful lot of words for someone who couldn’t say more than three words to me about whether or not pineapple belonged on pizza. A debate no one can pass up putting their two cents into.” She turned and leaned against my dresser, her fingers tapping on the edge of it as she peered up at me. “So... want to tell me how you really feel?”
I tossed the shirt I’d been folding and refolding back into the box and braced myself on the edge of the dresser, breathing out heavily.
“I’m... okay. Not great. Just okay.”
Her dark brown eyes skimmed over me as she nodded. “Well, you’re not cocooning yourself in your bed with nothing but junk food which, by the way, is a perfectly good — healthy — way to handle a breakup, if I do say so myself.”
“We didn’t... I didn’t...” I wrapped my arms around my waist and turned to lean next to her. “I don’t know what we are.”
Xinyi arched a brow. “Have you heard from...?” She left the end open, probably not wanting to trigger me by saying either one of their names.
“Tate has been... around.” I waved a hand in front of me. “Staring at me with those big puppy dog eyes as if I’d taken away his favorite toy.”
Xinyi giggled. “Well, you kind of did.” She wagged her brows at me, eyes going up and down my body.
“Ha ha.” I bumped her with my arm.
“So he still wants to... whatever it was you were doing with him?”
Staring down at the stone floor, I dragged the toe of my boot along the line where two of the stones met. “Yes. He’s made it very clear he still wants to be... whatever we were...” I huffed and shoved off the dresser, pacing back in forth in front of her.
“Tate just won’t listen to reason. He thinks that there’s no reason we can’t still be together even though me and...” I swallowed, forcing myself to finish my sentence. “Kyren are... whatever we are.” I threw my hands up, dragging them through my hair.
“So you haven’t heard from Kyren then?” Xinyi prodded gently, not judging me like some might for being with two guys at once.
My hands dropped to my side. “No. Not a peep.” I sat on the edge of the bed again, my hand itching to find his shirt beneath my pillow. “It’s like he disappeared into those shadows of his.”
Xinyi moved across the room and sank into the mattress next to me, her hand on mine. “I wish I could tell you something that will make you feel better. But none of us have seen him either. Maybe he dropped out? I can ask Iris if she’s seen him around?”
She paused, her brows furrowed. “He couldn’t have gone far. Tate is still here, and very few vampires will leave their human servant for very long.” She placed her hand on her chest. “We’re drawn to each other. Even if we are miles away a part of us will always ache for the other and never feel complete. So if Tate is still here, then that must mean that Kyren can’t be that far away, right?”
I gave her a tight smile. “Sure.”
“Come on.” Xinyi grabbed my hand. I let her pull me to my feet reluctantly. “You can’t stay hidden away in your tower all the time. A princess has got to eat, doesn’t she?”
I snorted. “I’m not a princess.”
Xinyi grinned, pulling me toward the bedroom door. “Tell that to your loyal fans.”
I groaned and prepared myself to face the masses. Whether I would be greeted with cheers or tomatoes was still unsure, and I wasn’t entirely sure which one I hoped for more.
Chapter 2
Kyren
